Shiver ready for leap — or run

The second annual Shiver Elk River, a community Chill-A-Bration set for Saturday, Feb. 25, is coming together nicely despite some wild and unusually warm winter weather.

Event organizers from the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce are not worried in the least, according to Debbi Rydberg, the executive director of the organization that is sponsoring the event. As of right now things are good to go for Plan A of the Shiver Plunge. There’s a Plan B in event things heat up too much between now and the schedule of events.

First National’s John Houlton and a team from the bank will jump again. “I didn’t think it was as bad as I thought it would be last year,” he said.

“We can either have people jump in the lake, or we can cut a channel from the shore and have them run into the lake,” Rydberg said. “The lake will still be wet no matter how cold or warm it gets.”

There’s still time for teams to register, but they need to check in with the chamber at 763-441-3110 soon. The chili contest and the hockey tournament already are full of contestants.

The chili cookoff will feature eight professionals from area businesses and four amateurs who will prepare their entries at Guardian Angels before making their way over to serve at Lake Orono.

Family Games at the Lake will include hockey slapshots, ice golf and ice bowling for a nominal fee.